1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical fastener applying apparatus and, more particularly, to a fluid-activated, e.g., pneumatic or hydraulic, surgical fastener applying apparatus for clamping, fastening, and cutting tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical fastener applying apparatus, wherein tissue is first grasped or clamped between opposing jaw structures and then joined by means of surgical fasteners, are well known. In some such apparatus, a knife is provided to cut tissue that has been joined by the fasteners. The fasteners are typically in the form of surgical staples, although other surgical fasteners may also be utilized, such as, for example, clips or two part polymeric surgical fasteners.
Surgical fastener applying apparatus, as mentioned above, typically include two opposed jaw structures that are used to capture or clamp tissue therebetween. Typically, one of the jaw structures carries a cartridge assembly which houses a plurality of fasteners arranged in at least two lateral rows, while the other jaw structure includes an anvil which defines a surface for forming the fastener legs as the fasteners are driven from the cartridge assembly. Generally, the fastener formation process is affected by the interaction between one or more longitudinally moving camming members and a series of individual pushers. As the camming members travel longitudinally through the cartridge assembly, the individual pushers are biased upwardly into a backspan of the fasteners supported within the cartridge assembly to sequentially eject the fasteners from the cartridge. Where a knife is provided, the knife follows the camming members and travels between the fastener rows to cut tissue between the rows of formed fasteners.